Chad Is Everywhere

Time had come for me to take a 2hr train ride out of Budapest and onto Vienna, Austria. Importantly the move also signalled another significant change. From here I was down to Hostels not Hotels. The Austrian prices and recent move down of the Aussie dollar certainly made this a more understandable decision. Within 3 hrs of arriving in Vienna I had met up with some of my former couchsurfers. Although not based in Vienna they had made a trip for a concert that night in Vienna. Interestingly it was the band that had been victim to the Parisian attacks in 2015. They were continuing their tour in Europe and this was the makeup concert for the event schedule that had abruptly stopped. My friends had expected to see these guys months ago. Instead they were off to the concert that night, and it coincided with my arrival into Vienna. Day 2 of Vienna saw me take to the streets in the morning. I followed the map as best I could to follow the circled list of icons. The standard Church, Ra...

I did have an adventure getting to Heidelberg. But that wasn't why I was there. Heidelberg has a lot going for it when you're a tourist. It perfectly situated. The river is a magnificent backdrop to photograph. A Schloss. Or well castle to us basic tourist not understanding the difference. And a story to tie it all in. In this case Perkeo. The drunk Italian who helped keep the alcohol flowing. What's not to like about a guy who was involved in the world's biggest wine Barrel. Perkeo apparently means "why not". His standard answer to would you like another drink? I caught up with another former Couchsurfer in Heidelberg who was able to give me a walking tour of the city. It was cold in Heidelberg. But what do you expect in January. I didn't mind. Walking kept me warm.

One of the major historical facts I've learnt on this trip has been the story that "The Bastille" has never been taken over by invading forces. Of course the main threat came from the Italians I'm told. Well the is a reason for that. It's so far up a steep hill anyone would have just gone "screw that I'll go skiing instead". OMG how many stairs and switchbacks there were. Alas visiting in winter also meant no restaurant after making it to the top. Only an empty coke machine which still takes donations, and will continue to do so until the summer. And I did this walk on my first non skiing day. No rest for the weary. But for the patisserie after.

Looking back on the week in Val d'Isere it's hard to knock anything about the mountains. They big and up high. The worst negative really would be that the majority of green runs are up top. Which makes for an interesting ride home on a red or blue. But during the day that makes it great for beginners normally assigned to sloppy slopes lower down. In January there are no slushy afternoons. It only warmed up to a balmy -3 at best. This meant by the end of the week I could still walk, and ski out an afternoon if it was good. Negative though was there was a day with -34 degree wind chill. Importantly with Val d'Isere even when it's a poor snow season it still has it. Enclosed into the mountains protects what it gets for longer. Getting to the mountain via an English all inclusive tour company meant the accommodation felt like "Little Britain". But I wouldn't try to manage it any other way for convenience.

In the week before travelling I realised we could book hire skis online cheaper. So I went about this in my nonchalant way on the net. However true to form I made a mistake. After pressing back to add in. Ski helmet the date changed. My booking went to starting the week before I arrived. In the days preceding departure I madly tried to send emails to France asking it be corrected. After a flurry of emails I was initially informed the booked couldn't change as it had already started. Eventually I got a response saying it had been corrected and the ski helmet cancelled. So I gave up... Who knew what I would get. So it was not such a surprise that when I did collect the skis eventually it tweeked that ahh, you're Chad, and the assistant pointed to a sticky taped message on the cash register. They had been waiting for 3 days for my arrival. My futility was famous.

Hello from Seattle. Yes Seattle. For some of you this is a surprise. What is Chad doing in Seattle, its not a part of Canada. Yes true, Seattle is not a part of Canada. But Seattle is the reason I'm here. You see about a week ago I got onto a computer of a friend at Nakiska. While on the computer I decided to look at the NBA website. Ahead into the schedule of NBA games, and what did I see? An omen. First of Cleveland at Seattle on the 16th January, and then Milwaukee at Seattle on the 19th. This was enough for me to remember part of the reason I'm here is to see basketball. And who better to see than the number one player, LeBron James, and then number one Australian player Andrew Bogut. So after a short thinking period I decided it was time to leave the hill. I just had overnight in Calgary. Visited the Calgary Fort, and Calgary Tower. Other than that my first impression of Calgary is that it is a hole. Perhaps its good in the spring. Oh well to me it was just cold and...

Well here I am at the peak of the snow hills, Lake Louise. I've been skiing a few of the runs here today. What a great way to lead upto xmas. News is that I will be in backwater Canada for Xmas. Working the ski hill I suspect that day. Then the plan is for a huge Xmas dinner. Some of the chefs are preparing a huge meal for us. should be good. Anyway gotta run. Everyone enjoy xmas. have a great time. Chad

We're here in Vancouver. Still. We're not supposed to be but we are. Thanks to Air Canada, and the most snow in Vancouver in over 7 years. All I can say is watch out for flying spanners. There's nothing like throwing a few spanners into the machinery to ruin the plans. We had it all worked out yesterday afternoon. Not an easy situation when considering that we had to: - fly to Calgary Tuesday at 12 noon, - get shuttle from airport to hostel accommodation (which was not booked yet) - Wed afternoon car hire with drop off in Banff Thursday. We'd drive to Nakiska for the Wednesday night. - Thursday I start work, while Craig would drive to Banff, return car, pick stuff up off ex, and then stay in Banff the night to catch early Friday bus back to Nakiska. As complex as it sounds things all worked in theory. And then Air Canada called with the news. They had canceled our flight. The plane scheduled doesn't like too much snow. Next available flight they could get ...

There's no business like snow business.... Well it's snowing in Vancouver. And not like the travel guides describe it 'as it snows in Vancouver but never settles'. This snow is settled. And it's not stopping any time soon. And its now officially cold. And it's only going to get colder cause unless something happens tomorrow I'll be up at Nakiska Ski Resort working there for a while. Yeah, of all things I've ended up getting that ski job. Doesn't pay anything but hey it's not about the money. I'll be employed by the mountain so have subsidized accommodation, and a ski pass for 5 mountains. The biggest issue for anyone thinking of working the ski fields is the accommodation issue. Only negative is that I've been hired as Trail Crew. Yeah, I that means I'll be shoveling snow. Oh well it should be fun, at least for a bit. And I'll get to ski, and ski, and ski. In the few days before the snow CJ and I didn't do anything ext...

After several days of threatening finer weather the day has again turned nasty. Oh well. Last few days I've been kept busy with applying for jobs, and then showing CJ around town. Then sometimes its just a case of getting out to avoid cabin fever. We managed to hire some bikes today and have fine-ish weather for the entire ride around Stanley park. But true to form it rain on us as we walked back to the hostel. In my last post I mentioned that I'd add some more photos. Anyway here goes for those waiting: First off we have False Creek and the view to Yaletown. If anyone had of subscribed to the Chad Holiday Fund prospectus then the Fund Manager would be making executive decisions from here. Unfortunately the fund closed under-subscribed and the manager therefore still resides at the hostel. The other photo is that of North Vancouver. This area north of Vancouver is where the locals go to ski after work. On the news front CJ leaves in a couple of days. The Nakiska Ski...

Hey all Not much news to report here really. Oh, except for the fact I may now end up working the ski fields after all. Well the issue is to ski or not to ski? This whole concept is due to my frield CJ who until Saturday was at Lake Louise. Basically he's now going through a crisis having had his girlfriend call off their relationship a week into their working ski holiday. Not a good situation so he got out of there. Anyway it seems that CJ has organised a job up at Nakiska and has strongly suggested I join him. And well I'm now at one of those pressure junctions where I'm just under the gun. The Do I or Don't I? Without there being any harm I've applied. Nothing ventured nothing lost yet. They may come back and say there is nothing suitable for me and they're not interest. Meanwhile for all you back home just to make you jealous, we're having to drink bottled water. There has been too much rain which has over run the water supplies and made it a bit...

SIN'ing is a hobby of the backpackers who arrive here in Vancouver. It seems that every 2nd Australian arriving here seems to spend their first day at the office where there Social Insurance Number's (TFN equivalent) are issued. The others who don't SIN are on their way to work in London after doing a ski trip. Which leaves the question. Just how many Australians are left back home? Seems that the reports that 1/3 of ski resorts near Vancouver are stocked with Australians is not far off the mark. Every day it seems that another boatload of Australian refugees are off to the slopes. Perhaps they'll succeed in their quest of finding snow. Which brings up the other statistic I heard today. 1/4 of all the people who go to the ski fields to work as an instructor or in a skiing related job end up with some sort of major injury. ie broken limbs, knee reconstruction, torn muscles etc. Apparently between this and the fact the Australian univeristy year recommences in F...